Those Who Lurk In The Shadows
by Kimmimaru
Summary: Reno's life is good until the day he discovers that, years after his supposed death, his father is still living and thriving in Midgar. It marks the beginning of the worst parts of Reno's dirty past coming back to haunt him. (Contains mentions of abuse and other horrible stuff please be warned) No pairings. Set before, during and after Before Crisis.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: A fic I wrote for fun, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. The info is based on what I have read of the Before Crisis script and the novella 'On the Way to a Smile; Case of ShinRa', it should be accurate (Minus Reno's back story, that is purely my twisted imagination).**

Those Who Lurk in The Shadows

Chapter One: Prelude

Tseng heard the laughter first as he rounded the street corner. He repressed a sigh. The laughter grew as he drew closer, the street lamps flickering above his head, as he put a hand on the gun stowed safely in the holster on his belt. The street was dingy, litter blowing slightly in the wind, his foot hit a can and sent it tumbling into a drain in the silent road.

"Get off of me you son of a bi-!"

Tseng heard a loud smack and a cry, then the familiar voice of Reno.

"You shut up, yo!"

"Reno!"

Reno looked up from where he was standing. The man led on the floor; beaten, bloodied and hog tied. Reno had both hands in his pockets and was chewing on a cocktail stick, he grinned around it, as his eyes found Tseng. "Yo, boss. We go' 'im."

"..." Rude said, cracking his knuckles in a sinister manner as he glared down at the bound man.

"Call your fucking dogs off! I'm innocent, man!"

Tseng did not deign to reply, and Reno booted the man in the ribs for speaking, causing another yelp to escape his crimson lips. "You did well. The car will be along in a moment to pick him up and take him back to headquarters for questioning."

"Right-o." Reno said, stepping back from the prisoner. Tseng noticed that he had a mark on the side of his jaw and arched an eyebrow curiously, Reno noted the expression and rubbed at his jaw with a scowl. "Caught me off guard, yo."

"You were gloating." Rude said quietly, earning a glare from his red-headed partner.

"I was jus' explainin' why we had to tie 'im up, yo."

"Bragging." Rude replied, and fell silent once again; his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses, turning to Tseng for instruction.

"Pick him up, we have to meet the car." Tseng said as he watched Reno bend and lift the man into the air, he struggled so violently Reno dropped him.

"Whoops." Reno said as the man fell to the floor with a painful sounding thud. "Rude?" Rude grunted and moved forward, hoisting the prisoner into the air as if he were lifting a child. Tseng led the way as they walked down the street and into a dark alley. He took out his PHS from his pocket, and quickly sent a message to Cissnei. A minute later, they saw headlights illuminating the dingy, heavily-graffitied walls. Cissnei appeared from the drivers side and folded her arms across her chest, as Rude moved forwards and dumped the prisoner unceremoniously into the car. They heard a few thumps and a grunt as Rude shoved the prisoner into a vaguely seated position. When he was certain the target was safe inside the car, Tseng turned to Reno.

"I want your report on my desk by midday. Until then, I want you to watch Aer-The Ancient."

Reno whined a little, kicking at a stone before nodding. "Borin'."

"I know you dislike it, but President ShinRa wants the girl watched, it is our job to do that."

"I 'eard you go roun' for tea, yo." Reno smirked, as a devious light entered his eyes.

"That is not your concern. Now go."

Reno saluted lazily and stalked away; shadows closing in around him as he faded from sight.

XXX

A tray of freshly baked cookies sat cooling on the table, the oven left slightly ajar to let the heat and sweet scent of melted chocolate fill her kitchen. Elmyra stretched, arching her back inwards before arranging the dirty bowls and utensils into a manageable stack. In a clockwork fashion, she walked to the sink and with a free hand, ran the tap. She gazed out the window into the dimly lit world, her eyes subconsciously scanning for him. They rested, however, on a lone red-headed man standing almost out of sight. She squinted slightly, trying to note any other defining features or a sense of remembrance, but whoever this man was, she did not recognise him.

She turned the tap off and placed the dirty bowls in to soak, glancing up at the clock and then back out at the stranger. She sighed heavily. It was late, and it looked unlikely that he would be visiting tonight. It didn't matter much – Aerith was asleep – but the company was always pleasant. Smiling, she moved to the kettle, picking it up and listening to make sure it had enough water. Satisfied, she turned the hob on and set it back down.

Reno groaned, gazing up to the plate above. Security detail was not his thing, and standing outside some house like a creepy stalker was not something he liked the thought of, either. He looked over at the lone light on in the house, wondering who on earth would be up at this ungodly hour besides the scourges of society – himself included. Shifting from one foot to the other, he glanced around; not that there was much to see. If Rude was here, at least he'd have some company, if not decent conversation. There wasn't even any fine tail in the vicinity, and he contemplated a trip to the Honeybee Inn was in order.

Reno was so caught up with his thoughts, that a creaking noise _almost_ startled him. His eyes darted in the direction of the noise, his body tensing and an arm tentatively reaching behind him. A figure from the direction of the house was moving towards him. His thoughts raced as he weighed up moving into a new position, or whether he'd be hog-tying someone else tonight.

"I'm hardly a threat to you, you know." Elmyra grinned as she raised her tray slightly, nodding down to the contents. "Just from the oven, and some tea to help keep you awake. I wasn't sure if you were hungry, and frankly," she stopped a few feet from Reno, holding the tray out to him, "this has to be very boring work. She's asleep, and won't be awake...probably for a few more hours. Just knock if you fancy a refill."

Reno grinned brightly, the expression giving away his youth. "Thanks, ma'am." He said and took the proffered tray, setting it down on a rock and throwing himself to the floor where he reclined casually.

"You're very young to be working for the Turks."

"Yeah, I guess so." Reno replied, stuffing a cookie into his mouth and chewing happily.

"How on earth does one get into working for such an organisation?" Elmyra asked absently as she watched the man sip at the hot tea and sigh happily.

Reno paused and frowned at her, his eyes scanning her face quickly as if searching for a sign that she was dangerous. "Trus' me, lady, you don' wanna know."

"My name is Elmyra, please." She said with a smile. "I apologise if I caused any offence."

"Nah, none taken, yo. It's jus' all a bit Top Secret, ya'know?" He ate another cookie. "These're good."

"That's very kind of you to say." Elmyra smiled.

There was a brief pause as they both took in the night air.

"The girl...I mean, Aerith, she doin' ok?"

"Oh yes, she's fine."

"She seems a bi' o' a dreamer, yo."

"You could say that. Is there anything else you would like before I go to bed?"

"Nah, thanks anyways. I gotta stay here 'till my replacement arrives then I'm gone, yo."

"All right, good night...?" She looked at him questioningly.

"Reno." Reno said, grinning.

"Good night then, Reno."

"Night, yo." Reno watched the woman walk away curiously. "Weird lady." He muttered and stuffed another cookie into his mouth.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I hope this is flowing all right since it was originally going to be a one-shot and it kind of got a bit out of hand when I was writing it. Thank you for reading and if you have a comment, any comment at all, please feel free to review.**

Chapter Two: Father

They strode through the streets of Sector 5 as if they owned the place. Reno walked with his EMR tapping lightly against his shoulder, his eyes moving steadily around, whilst Rude walked a pace behind in silence. As they passed by a dark alley, Reno felt something grab his jacket. He jerked away, automatically bringing his EMR around in a wide sweep. It connected, and there was a brief cry. Reno stared at what had made the noise; an old man with a bandage around his face, holding a terrified gaze with his assailant. "Wha' the hell were ya thinkin' yo?" He glared down at the thin, shaking man. Reno watched as he raised his dirty ruddy brown head, to reveal bright blue eyes.

"Reth?"

Reno's heart seemed to stop mid-beat. His mouth dropped open and he stumbled back a step, his head shaking in negation. He took another step back and felt his body hit something solid, he looked over his shoulder to see Rude had come up behind him. "Do you know this man?" He asked.

"N-"

"It _is_ you! I'd know that face anywhere! Reth, it's me! Don't you recognise me? It's your _dad_!"

"My dad's dead, yo." Reno slipped away from Rude and turned his back. He walked away, ignoring the man's desperate pleas. "Shit." He kicked at a stone and sent it flying into the gutter.

"Reno?"

Reno paused to allow his partner to catch up, he refused to look at him though. "We go' work ta do." He said stiffly.

"Your...father...he looked sick."

"Aint my dad."

"Still."

"Yo, my family's dead. They 'ave to be!" He turned wide eyes on Rude, giving him just a glimpse of his true confusion. "I watched 'em die!"

"Was that your real name?"

Reno sneered but Rude seemed utterly unconcerned. "Stop it. Ya know we don' talk 'bout this shit, yo."

"What was he like, your father?"

"None o' your business." Reno walked on. Rude hadn't spoken so much in a long time, he only had to hope he would get tired of it eventually and shut up. In his minds eye he saw flashes of blood, the screams of his mother, the sound of his father's body hitting the ground. He had hidden, pushed himself under the table and kept utterly silent, the terror had been paralysing but it had saved his life.

"What does Reth mean?" Rude asked, obviously not getting tired of talking any time soon.

"Red." Reno breathed, teeth clenched as memories spewed forth from the dark corner of his mind where he had stashed them. "Let's jus' go, we need ta call the boss."

"Hm. I have done so already. Reno?"

"What?!" He turned furiously on his partner, obviously he didn't understand just what he was doing, bringing up memories Reno had tried so hard to forget.

"He's following us."

"Wha-oh." Reno saw the battered man stumbling around the corner they had just turned. "Shit..." He groaned heavily and ran fingers through his hair before rounding on his partner and pointing his EMR at him angrily. "This is your fault!" He snapped before going to the man who had now collapsed and was groaning on the floor. "Fuckin' useless, yo. Get up, we're takin' ya to a shelter."

The man could only moan. Reno glanced back at Rude who was merely standing there and watching, he swore and dragged the man to his feet before steadying him, he looked pale and very ill. This close Reno could see the familiar planes of a face he never thought he would see again, it sent chills up and down his spine and he had to let go before he did something stupid like murder the man again. "Reno, Veld's waiting."

"Yeah, yeah, I got ya!" Reno snapped, still feeling that strange sense of deja-vu settling over him, the guilt and fear at seeing the man who had once been his father again and the memories. Always the memories. "Let's get you to the shelter, yo."

"I told you not to talk like a gutter rat, boy." The man muttered vaguely, leaning heavily against Reno who had to force himself not to step away and leave the man lying in the gutter to die.

"Whatever."

"You were always...so...rebellious."

"So you kept tellin' me, I remember the fists." Reno hissed back, hatred seething inside of him, threatening to obscure everything else. His fingers tightened painfully on the man's arm and made him wince. The power was in his hands now. Rude kept pace with them until they reached a dingy little building with a bright neon sign declaring it a hostel for the homeless, Reno threw his father onto the steps. "There ya go, more 'n you deserve, yo. Rude, lets get outta here."

"..." Rude nodded once and followed Reno back to the train station, they had to get to Sector 8. Once they had reached the designated meeting point they found Tseng and a car waiting for them.

"What kept you? Did you have trouble?"

"Target's been taken care of, yo." Reno muttered, putting his hands in his pocket and glancing back over his shoulder towards the shelter.

"Veld will want a full report on the matter." Tseng assured them before eyeing Reno carefully. "There's more." He said, it wasn't a question.

"We ran into someone-"

"Rude, shut ya damned mouth!" Reno growled, sending his partner a poisonous glare.

Tseng looked from one to the other before nodding. "I see. We should return, you have reports to fill out."

"Paper work..." Reno sighed and slid into the car beside Tseng, deliberately slamming the door in Rude's face so he had to move up front. "Traitor." He mumbled and slouched into the leather seats, glaring at the back of the drivers head.

XXX

He wasn't entirely sure why he was there but something had certainly drawn him, he had been at the Bar the Turks had claimed as their own but now his traitorous feet had led him back to the shelter where a man slept who had once been both father and terror to him. He fidgeted anxiously, the alcohol he had ingested making his stomach twist uneasily. He hated the man, that was true enough, he had done since he had first learnt that most kids didn't have the shit kicked out of them every evening. There was something else there too, a faint kind of feeling a little like hope. Perhaps, if his father was alive, could his mother be...? He cut that thought off. He remembered it all too well.

" _Come here kid, I won't hurt you."_

It had been lies. The man who had kidnapped him had hurt Reno plenty, in more ways than just physical. Reno gazed up the neon sign before taking a breath and walking unsteadily towards the door, he lifted a hand and froze. "Yo, why're ya followin' me?" He said quietly as he heard Rude step out of the shadows.

"You're drunk." He said in explanation. "We're partners."

Reno sighed heavily and closed his eyes, tipping his head back and shoving his hands deep into his pockets. "This is private, yo. Can ya give me a mo?"

"Of course, I'll wait out here."

"Thanks." Reno opened his eyes and pushed the door open, he stepped into the hall and gazed around warily. It was a dimly lit hall way with a woman sitting behind some bars, behind her was a wall where a bunch of keys hung. He moved over to the woman and leaned on the desk, she looked up, startled by his sudden appearance.

"Can I help you, sir?" She asked, glancing down at his uniform and noting the ShinRa logo embroidered on his chest.

"Sure, I'm lookin' for a man who came 'ere las' night, yo."

"O-Of course...I think you're looking for Hendricks?"

"Red-brown hair?" Reno asked. His father had obviously given a false name.

"Yes."

"Tha's 'im."

"He's staying in room five."

"Thanks sweet cheeks." Reno winked and watched her blush in satisfaction before walking away. He reached room five and stared at the door for a whole minute before swallowing and lifting a hand, he knocked.

"Come in." Said a weak voice and Reno stepped into the room, it was sparse with only a bed, a toilet, a sink and little else. "Ah, so you came back." The man smiled and Reno tensed, his hands suddenly itching for his EMR or one of the guns he had hidden away inside his jacket. "Look at you, you've grown into a fine young man, so much like your mother." Reno's father smiled and gestured for him to take a seat, Reno didn't move. "So silent? After all this time? I thought you'd been killed! I searched everywhere!"

Reno snorted derisively. "Couldn't'a looked tha' hard, yo."

"Why? What happened? Where did you go?"

"I was taken you useless fuck!" Reno shouted suddenly, all the rage he had been feeling since meeting his father boiled up and out of his control. It wasn't like him, he normally had expert control over his emotions.

"Taken?" His father put on a very good show of being surprised, Reno didn't believe it for a second.

"Kidnapped." Reno said sharply. "By tha' bastard who killed her! An' what did you do, yo? NOTHIN'!"

Reno's father gazed at him for a long moment before sighing heavily, "I regret it every day." He whispered, lowering his head and putting a hand over his eyes. "My son, my wife...my life ruined!"

"Why?" Reno asked, the question that had been burning inside him since he was seven years old, since the day those cold hands closed around his wrist and dragged him kicking and screaming into the sterile lights of the blood spattered kitchen.

"I owed him a large sum of money."

"Gamblin'? Again? I though' Ma'd stopped tha'!"

"I hid it." The man admitted grudgingly. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry aint gunna cut it." Reno growled. "You exchanged your son an' the life of yer wife for...for some cheap thrills? Tha's sick, yo." He began pacing, running fingers distractedly through his hair, he could feel his father's eyes on him.

"You became a Turk?"

Reno stopped, sparing him a glance. "Yeah, what of it?" He folded his arms across his chest and looked away at the peeling walls.

"Is the pay good?"

"It keeps me goin'." He muttered.

"I'm...proud of you."

"Pfft. Yeah, whatever, yo."

"Isn't it...dangerous?"

"So? Whadda you care?"

"I'm your father." He said as if that explained everything.

"You're no more my father than the guy who stole me, yo."

"What happened to make you so cold?" His father gazed at him sadly but Reno wasn't about to be taken in by that look, he'd seen enough of it in the eyes of people he was interrogating.

"Dunno, migh' be the fact that I ended up workin' for an underground gang of thieves, murderers an' loan sharks...the fact tha' I had to do anythin' an' everythin' to scrape by, yo. Or...it might be the fact that you fuckin' abandoned me." He looked his father dead in the eyes. "Firs' time I killed a man I was nine, yo. Slit his throat. Jus' like the guy who killed Ma."

"Nine?" Reno's father breathed, sucking air between his teeth and letting it out slowly.

"I'm a killer, yo. Been doin' it since tha' day, corpses and blood don't bother me no more. It's wha' I do."

"Good God." He whispered, covering his face as if he could no longer bear to look at his son. "I'm so sorry...for everything."

"Nah, you're no'." Reno said and began to walk away but his father stopped him.

"D-Do...do you have any money? I need...I need..."

Reno recognised that tone instantly, he had heard it on many a man's lips. "Drugs, yo? I aint doin' tha'." He laughed and opened the door. "Ya can rot for all I care." And he left, hearing the man give voice to a low broken sob.

XXX

The sound of gunfire drew him towards the Turks private practice range. Tseng eased himself through the door, gazing around and spotting the lone figure. He was stood in front of the barrier holding a gun; a frown of concentration marred his normally calm features as his lips moved in silent mutters. Another gun shot went off and Tseng's eyes were drawn to the target, it was a perfect head shot. "You've not lost your skill." He said, alerting Reno to his presence, stepping forward. Reno gave him a passing glance, reloading his gun.

"Haven't shot nuthin' in a while, yo. Always preferred my EMR." He tapped the holder that contained his favourite weapon on his belt. "Wha' you wan', Boss?"

"Rude told me where you went that night, and why you were so late getting to the rendezvous point."

"Bastard." Reno replied, taking aim again and firing. "He can keep his mouth shu' till it's private business, and then he goes blabbin', yo."

"He is concerned."

Reno snorted, firing again, this time hitting the target in the chest. Tseng turned his eyes back to Reno and leaned against the wall, noting the tension in his shoulders. "He got nothin' to be concerned abou', I'm fine. yo." He fired again. It missed. "Shit."

"Reno, I cannot have you putting yourself or others at risk. You're obviously distracted, and distraction in the field can lead to unnecessary death. I have to know what's going on. I can attempt to help you, but I refuse to allow this - whatever it is - to get in the way of your job. Do you understand?"

Reno chuckled, looking at his boss over his shoulder. "I got ya." He muttered darkly before lifting his gun and firing once again. "Ya seen my files."

"I have."

"Then you know how I go' this job, yo."

"Yes." Tseng remembered going over every personnel file in the Turks' library. Reno had watched his parents murdered at the age of seven (or what he assumed was seven, as it wasn't entirely clear when his birthday actually was, most people growing up in the slums had uncertain birth dates). He then ended up involved in an underground gang smuggling drugs, prostituting himself for small change, and running stolen goods. It was the usual tale. "We all have pasts that we would rather remained a secret, it's why we change our names when we become Turks." Tseng said softly, moving to a nearby seat and sitting, crossing his legs while Reno continued to shoot. "You understand that our position is precarious, don't you?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"The president doesn't trust us." Tseng's voice dropped to a whisper, and Reno paused, lowering his gun. His eyes darted towards the cameras that were placed in every available space within ShinRa. "I have put the video feed on a loop, no one can hear us or see us." Reno didn't look convinced so Tseng pushed on. "We must prove to him that we are trustworthy or we will be destroyed."

"Where you goin' with this yo?" Reno asked, adjusting the grip on his gun and staring down the range at the targets.

"I am attempting to to get you to understand the position we are in, I want all of you to be on your best behaviour. One toe out of line and the president will throw the entire wrath of ShinRa upon us."

"I aint a kid." Reno said, ruffling his hair and sighing heavily as he put aside his gun and hefted his weight up onto the barrier.

"I know that, Reno." Tseng sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose temporarily before reaching into his jacket and bringing out a set of neatly stapled papers. "This is the latest mission given to me by the President himself, it is top priority." He held it out and Reno gazed at it for a long time before sliding off of his perch and walking over to take the file from his bosses hands, it must have been important if the President had gone over Veld's head. He stared down at it for a long time before his hands clamped on the papers, tearing them a little as he turned wide eyes onto Tseng.

"Jace." He hissed, hands shaking a little as he fought for control on his tumultuous emotions. "Is this...is this wha' I think it is, yo?"

"We have been ordered to capture, alive, Jace Summers, leader of an underground gang. He has been attempting to infiltrate ShinRa, we're not sure why but that is why we need him alive."

"An'...an' you trust me to..." Reno was unable to finish the sentence, he was gazing at Tseng as if he had lost his mind.

"You will be working with Rude and Cissnei, I have no wish to send you in alone. However, I do this only as a show of trust, Reno, if you do something to jeopardise this mission because of personal issues then I will be unable to prevent the ramifications." Tseng didn't say it aloud, he didn't have to, Reno understood that 'ramifications' meant death.

Reno gazed down at the grainy image of the target, he scanned the brief description and felt his heart stutter in his chest. Finally, after all these years he would be able to get his revenge. A twisted smile crept across his face and he looked up, eyes glittering. "Don' worry, yo...I go' this." He saw Tseng's answering smile.

"I hope so, Reno."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Third chapter, please enjoy and if you're reading this I would love to hear what you think.**

Chapter Three: Capture

" _Target has been sighted on fifth, heading towards the bar. In range in two. Over."_

"Roger Ciss." Reno moved the communications device attached to his wrist from his lips and peered around the corner, he spotted him in an instant. Tall, dark hair perfectly quaffed and wearing an inexpensive suit with a rather spectacular emerald green shirt. Rude shifted, knuckles cracking as he prepared himself for a fight, Reno held up his hand and looked at his partner, shaking his head once. "He'll know the second we go out there, yo. He's smart."

"..?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know...I'm followin' orders, yo! Jus' listen, I know this guy, he's hard. He won' be an easy take down." Reno licked his lips before sighing heavily. "I'll go alone." He said and began stripping off his uniform jacket, stuffing it into Rude's hands. "I'll give you a signal." He unstrapped his weapons, one by one; his EMR, his pistols, the large knife he kept strapped to his chest for emergencies along with various other objects, one of which included a cigarette lighter, a ticket stub for the LOVELESS play (Rude arched an eyebrow as Reno emptied his pockets), Bolt materia and one life time membership to the Honeybee Inn. Once he was done he stood still, he felt cold and naked without all his weapons and he didn't like the sensation. "So, when I give the signal you come out, yeah?" He looked into Rude's eyes and got a reluctant nod. "Cool, see ya." Reno grinned nervously and took a breath before striding out from behind the building they were using as cover, he pushed his hands into his pockets and walked as if he didn't see Jace standing just feet away. Reno watched him surreptitiously as he swerved and bumped into him, he fell backwards with a curse and hit the dirt. He put a shocked, angry expression on his face and opened his mouth to speak but his voice stuck in his throat as he found himself staring into those cold grey eyes.

"Well, well, if it isn't my little pet, Reth. Where'd you go all those years, hm?"

"Jace." Reno hissed softly, not having to feign the anger.

Jace laughed loudly, his small eyes moving around the deserted area before his smile widened. "Oh, I don't think you realise just how much I have been dying to see you again, _Reno_."

"Wha-?!" Reno's voice was shut off as a hand clamped over his mouth and he was hauled onto his feet, several men held him and he struggled as violently as he could. He had been so stupid. He underestimated just how much Jace knew about him. The shock of hearing his new name from the gangsters lips had frozen him, hesitation was fatal.

"I'd recognise that ploy anywhere, after all, I taught it to you." Jace leaned close, the scent of strong cologne wafting over Reno and making him feel sick. "How many of you are there? Tell me or i'll cut it off." Reno felt the press of a blade against his groin, a helpless moan escaped him and he sent a glare at Jace as if he could set him on fire with it.

Reno was released enough so that he could speak, he knew that Rude was watching, perhaps waiting to see if things had gone wrong or if this was part of Reno's plan. Slowly, his hands held roughly behind his back, he lifted two fingers. His only hope now was that Rude saw the signal he liked to call: GOD DAMN IT RUDE I'M FUCKED HELP ME! "Why would I tell you how many, yo?" Reno spat, hoping to keep the man's attention on him.

"Because I'm certain you do care what happens to your cock, I don't think all those whores you visit would be too impressed if I turned you into a eunuch." The blade pressed against his balls point first and he winced.

 _Hurry up Rude, man. I'm in deep shit._

"How long you been watchin' me, yo?" Reno muttered furiously.

"Since you were first rescued by that Veld, he took you in didn't he? He trained you and gave you a way to channel your anger for the good of the people."

"Bastard!" Reno hissed, wincing again as he felt that blade so close to cutting him.

"Of course, I thought you would have caught on or that one of your Turk buddies would have noticed my spies but obviously they are not as observant as they like to think. But then, no one ever pays much attention to the beggars and riff raff of the slums."

Then he heard it, the soft scrape of gravel and then a loud thud as someone was hit from behind. Reno was released just enough to yank himself free, spin on the spot and land a punch right on Jace's chin. "Tha's for whorin' me out!" He shouted at the stunned man who was now flat on his back, behind him Rude was struggling with one of Jace's men but was winning. " _This_ , is for my Ma!" He kicked the man in the leg and made him scream. "An' this...this is for everythin' else you done to me!" He kicked Jace in the crotch and grinned in satisfaction. Before he could pull back for another punch he felt something sharp hit him in the neck, he frowned and lifted a hand to the sting and drew away with a dart held in his fingers. "Wha?" He mumbled, his mind fogging over, his limbs becoming heavy and his knees weak. "Wha ya do...ta...me...yo?" He dropped like a stone, the last thing he saw before passing out was Rude being tackled by five men at once.

XXX

It was Cissnei pelting full speed into his office that alerted Tseng to the fact that something had gone wrong. He stood up and waited for her to catch her breath before she looked him in the eyes.

"They've got Reno, sir. He's been captured."

Tseng felt the world shift under his feet, the mission was supposed to be easy; Capture and bring in for questioning. There was surely no reason for things to go wrong, not unless someone had alerted the target as to what was happening. "What about Rude?" Tseng asked, bringing himself under tight reign.

"He's in the infirmary, sir. He tried to get Reno out but failed, there were too many of them, it was an ambush."

They looked at each other, everyone knew that when a Turk was captured there were to be no rescue missions. It was policy to either have the captured Turk assassinated or they would have to take their own lives, it was the only way to prevent valuable secrets from escaping. "We have no choice...we need to find out where Reno was taken." Tseng said softly, worry creasing his brow. "If they torture him..."

"But sir, he's been trained to withstand torture."

"He has but sometimes it isn't enough to prepare you..." Tseng trailed off and stared into the distance for a moment before finally gathering himself together again. "Keep this off of the presidents radar, for now Reno is on leave."

"Understood, sir...um..."

"What is it Cissnei?"

"What should I tell Veld and the others?"

"Nothing. This cannot go beyond us, do you understand? If we are to keep Reno alive we must act with all caution."

Cissnei smiled. "Of course sir."

XXX

He awoke to the soft sound of water dripping, he groaned and found the sound muffled by some stinking rag that had been shoved down his throat. His hands were bound behind him, his legs tied tightly to the chair he was sat on and he could feel hot blood trickling down the side of his face. His eyes flickered before slowly opening, he blinked and sluggishly looked around himself. The walls were dank, damp and had water running somewhere close by, he was in a chair in what appeared to be a room somewhere deep underneath Midgar, it was a place he recognised.

"Welcome back, Reth...or should I call you Reno now?"

Reno turned his head to the right and saw Jace standing a few feet away, his suit immaculate despite its filthy environment. He couldn't respond but he thought of some very satisfying curses he wanted to throw at the man.

"I like that look, it suits you." Jace smirked and moved closer, coming to stand before Reno and leaning over him. "Look at you, you've grown up so much since we last saw each other. Do you remember it? I do. I won't ever forget it." He reached up and touched Reno's hair, forcing him to flinch back and spit a muffled, incomprehensible swear word at him. Jace laughed coldly. Reno slowly began to test the knots on the ropes that tied him, they were tight and he could feel the burn as he twisted his wrists but it might be possible to get himself free if given enough time and a lot of patience. "Our time together was a highlight in my life, Reno. I did enjoy our little meetings." Again he laughed and Reno was hit with such a powerful recollection he feared he might pass out again...

" _Shh, Reth, just hold still for me...relax and it will feel good soon..."_

Bile rose to his throat, threatening to choke him but somehow he swallowed it back and sent a fuming glare at his old boss. Jace seemed pleased with the reaction. At the look in the older man's eyes he thought of the little pills sewn into the sleeve of his shirt, they wouldn't have found them, even if they had searched. They were too small for detection and only the Turks themselves were aware that they were there and what they were, he began twisting his wrists again, if nothing else he could get his hands free and tear the pills free to swallow them. They couldn't stop him. Suicide was the very last hope of a desperate man but he saw the plans Jace had in store for him and he refused to give him the satisfaction of watching him break. He would die with a fucking smile on his lips as he deprived Jace of this one last pleasure. It wouldn't be pretty but Reno wasn't about to let that stop him. The rope burned but he kept his eyes on Jace, the eyes of prey caught in the trappers snare, a fierce but impotent glare that made the man's smirk widen. "I remember the day your father first approached me, he wanted money to spend on the Chocobo races so we lent him it, in good faith. Unfortunately your father couldn't repay us and so, in exchange, he gave us his only son in compensation and I will admit that it was more than worth it."

This new information stumped Reno, his eyes widened, revealing his shock.

"Oh, so you weren't aware of the truth? It was why we allowed your father to live, boy. You became an invaluable asset until Veld of the Turks got to you." Jace removed the gag and put both hands on the arms of the chair so that he was gazing down at Reno. "You're as pretty as ever." He breathed and laughed when Reno jerked forward aggressively.

"Fuck you, ya slimy shit!" Reno said and then spat full in Jace's face, the man jerked backwards furiously, wiping away the spittle before retaliating with a punch to Reno's jaw that sent him reeling backwards, chair and all. He fell with a crash and a pained grunt.

"Oh I will enjoy watching you shatter like glass, Reno of the Turks." Jace growled and had his men who had previously been sitting in the shadows, righted Reno's chair. Reno's head was swimming unpleasantly and he could taste copper from where his teeth had pierced his tongue but he blinked to clear his wavering vision and somehow managed to chuckle roughly despite his pain.

"You don' know...wha' you're dealin' with, yo..." He gasped, looking up at Jace through his tangled hair. His wrists hurt from the burn of the rope but he could feel it loosening as he continued his slow revolutions.

"All the training in the world is not going to protect you from the pain I am going to cause you." Jace said clearly, obviously still furious at being spat at. "And then I will give you one last reminder of why I own you before tossing your useless corpse into the trash where it belongs!" He turned to one of his men who provided him with a long, vicious bladed knife, it was one Reno recognised instantly as he had seen it slice right through his mother's throat. He swallowed the lump that formed in his own throat and bared his teeth in a feral snarl. The blade tip touched his cheek, Reno refused to even flinch as it pierced his vulnerable flesh, leaving behind a long crimson line. He kept eye contact with Jace and began a soft chant beneath his breath;

" _I am Reno of the Turks. Identity Number: 2313777. I am Reno of the Turks. Identity Number: 2313777. I am Reno of the Turks. Identity Number: 2313777."_

XXX

This was a worst case scenario. Tseng sat in his office, glaring at the phone as he listened to the President berate him for being so reckless over the speaker.

"I gave you one thing to do and you go and screw it up! If any information is leaked to this man it would mean disaster for you, for the whole damned company! What were you thinking, Tseng?!"

"Sir, I am doing all I can to-"

"NOT GOOD ENOUGH!"

Tseng's hand hovered over the end call button but he resisted and let it fall back to the desk where it curled into an angry fist. "I apologise sir." He said stiffly.

"I want that Turk dead before sundown, if he is still alive by then it will be the end for the lot of you, do you understand me?!"

"Sir, we have yet to find him. We know that he was taken somewhere below the city but the sewer systems are so extensive I do not have the man power to cover such a huge area. If you would allow me to alert Veld to the situation I could-"

"No! That man is dangerous! If he finds out he could screw up everything more than it already is. Get it done, Tseng, I want the prisoner dead."

"Sir, I-" Once again he was cut off and the room filled with the steady burr of the dead line. Tseng sighed, allowing his eyes to close briefly as he tried to control the urge to throw the damned phone across the room. The president didn't seem to understand just how the Turks worked, he was an incompetent fool when it came to viewing his employees relationships. The Turks were orphans, usually people with no family of their own or people who were brought into the fold through some other tragic background, they _were_ a family. They looked out for each other, they had each others backs and they were, ultimately, loyal only to each other. He had a sneaking suspicion that the president sensed this and so was on edge about the department, however, he still had many uses for them so had yet to make any move to have them eradicated. The president didn't trust Veld because Veld made it very obvious where his ultimate loyalties lay, Tseng was far more surreptitious about it but being second in command he didn't have as much power as he desired.

He couldn't imagine allowing Reno to die in some horrible way, he only hoped that if it came to it, if they couldn't find him in time, that he would somehow have access to a more dignified death. Slowly he lifted his sleeve and stared at the tiny little pocket where the pills were secretly hidden, the cloth was weakest at this point and could easily be removed by teeth if the situation demanded it. He clenched his hand into a fist and took another steadying breath.

The president had discovered the situation after Tseng had put Cissnei onto the task of finding Reno, he wasn't sure how he had found out but he supposed the president must have spies within Jace's inner circle who were communicating only with the president. It occurred to him that this was likely Veld's idea, but whether the man was in on the secret of Reno's capture or not Tseng wasn't sure. He had to make a decision and fast, slowly he stood up and straightened out his suit, ensuring his hair was neatly tied back from his face he strode out of his office and headed towards Veld's. It was time they started to trust each other a little more.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: If anyone is wondering why Reno is repeating his ID number and name then I will explain; It's a trick that special ops learn to prevent them from revealing information under the duress of torture, I suspect that the Turks, considering all they know, would have been trained similarly. Normally I think its usually name, rank etc but the Turks don't work like that so I gave him an ID number which makes sense if you think that they would need them to enter certain areas of ShinRa, the bits normally closed off to the average workers. Anyway, please enjoy and Review? Thank you.**

Chapter Four: Torture

"I'm RENO OF THE TURKS! Identity Number: 2313777 _._ I'M RENO O-OF THE FUUUUCK!" Reno's scream bounced off of the walls as the knife dug deep into the muscle of his thigh, he felt blood trickle over his skin and gasped, his head fell forward and he closed his eyes.

"Hm. You _are_ well trained." Jace said, watching Reno intently, obviously revelling in his pain. Reno sat slumped in his chair, head forward and his breath coming in ragged gasps, his body was covered in shallow cuts, all of them in incredibly sensitive places. He was shaking but when he looked up he spat blood at his tormentor who flinched back, getting some on his suit.

"F-fuck...fuck you, yo..." Reno gasped and smirked nastily.

"I will ask you again; where are the Turks official headquarters? How do you get access to it?"

Reno grinned insanely and shook his head. "Take a lot more 'n tha' ta get me ta blab, yo." He whispered hoarsely and his grin faltered only a little as Jace moved the knife to his jaw. He swallowed and felt it drag downwards, leaving a nasty wound that immediately bled, he hissed air through his teeth and closed his eyes. Cold hands grabbed his face and held it still as grey eyes met Reno's, he stared into them, forcing the smile to remain on his face as he revealed bloody teeth. "This all ya go'? I could teach ya a thing or two, yo."

The hand tightened and Reno felt the touch of cold metal against his head, his eyes widened as he realised it was his very own EMR. It was a split second before he felt agony tear through his body, it jerked and shuddered violently and a scream was torn from his lips as electricity ripped down his spine.

When he came around he was shuddering violently, he could feel his muscles spasm and had a brief pang of pity for anyone he had ever electrocuted, that was quickly stifled when a hand slid up his thigh and he forced his uncooperative head to lift. His breathing was shaky and it felt as if his heart was skipping beats, he didn't think that was a good thing. Jace was stroking hair from his face, he let his head fall back and closed his eyes as he concentrated on simply breathing, he shuddered violently, his muscles cramping and fingers twitching. "You're even prettier when in pain." Jace whispered, close to his ear, he was practically sitting in Reno's lap. "I could easily take you here and now, in front of my men, would you like that? I remember your cries when I was forced to punish you publicly. Such a sweet little voice, begging me to stop...do you remember?"

"Y-you...sick...yo..." Reno gasped, twitching again. "Ugh...fuck..." He groaned and began renewing the slow twisting of his wrists, he had to get his hands free at least, before Jace started to get really serious about getting information out of him. He was lucky Jace seemed to be in a relatively good mood and had kept the EMR on a low voltage.

"All you have to do is tell me how to gain access to the Administrative Research Department then I will make your death quick and painless...perhaps even enjoyable." His hand closed over Reno's vulnerable throat and squeezed, cutting off his air supply and making his agonized body arch. "What do you say, Reno?"

Reno was released just enough to talk and he forced a grin, "I...hope...you...get fucked...by...a...Behemoth...dick...head..."

"Hm...a shame." Jace climbed off of Reno and nodded to his man who held the EMR, he turned his back as Reno's screams echoed once more around the enclosed space.

XXX

It went on like that for hours, perhaps days, Reno had no idea. He was slumped in the chair, his wrists so badly chafed now they were bleeding, his eyes unfocussed and a constant stream of muttering escaping his chapped, bloodied lips;

"I am Reno of the Turks. Identity Number: 2313777. I am Reno of the Turks. Identity Number: 2313777. I am Reno of the Turks. Identity Number: 2313777."

Jace was becoming ever more irate at the lack of information, he had expected it to take a lot less time. He paced up and down, becoming a little frantic as he wondered when Reno's fellows would begin to look for him and how long it would take them to discover their hide out. "Will you shut him up?!" He turned and screamed at his men who jumped in fear. "That infernal muttering is driving me nuts!"

"I am Reno of the Turks. Identity Number: 2313777. I am Reno of the Turks. Identity Number: 2313777. I am Reno of th-AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Reno screamed as a knife was jabbed right into his upper thigh, his body went rigid and when it was withdrawn he slumped again, a soft, almost inaudible sob escaping him. As Jace began asking more questions Reno felt the ropes on his wrists loosen a little, he held his breath and felt excitement break through his daze. He was close.

"Give him another dose of his own EMR, perhaps that will loosen his tongue."

There was a loud zap and Reno's body tensed, his hands balling into fists as his teeth almost sliced right through his tongue. The aftermath left him shuddering ever more violently but he still managed to force out a deranged kind of laugh, which infuriated Jace even more. "Jus'...fuckin'...kill me...yo." He breathed, blood dripping from all his wounds, sweat sticking his hair to his forehead and eyes two pits of icy blue emptiness. It was strange being the one to utter those words, normally it was him who was hearing them, that made him chuckle again despite the sharp sting that alerted him that one of his hands was almost free.

XXX

"Sir, it has been two weeks and there's still no sign of him."

Veld looked up at his second with a small frown, anyone who didn't know Tseng well wouldn't have noticed the small signs of stress and lack of sleep on the man but Veld knew him well enough to see past his shiny veneer. Tseng looked strung out, there were bags under his eyes, a few hairs springing out of place from his pony tail, his eyes were red and had a strange frantic cast to them that reminded Veld that Tseng was, after all, only human. "Have you had any rest at all?" He asked.

"Rest? Sir, there's no time." Tseng said as if the mere idea of rest were an inconvenience. "I have Cissnei and Rude searching Sector Seven, Gun and Legend are in Sector Eight, Nunchaku an-" He stopped when Veld held up his hand.

"I am aware of the search areas and disposition of teams, Tseng. What I want is for you to go take some time out, I cannot have a member of my team using themselves up so quickly, you're well on your way to a break down."

"But sir, I can't! This is my fault!"

Veld sighed heavily and stood up, he turned to look out of the massive picture window behind his desk to gaze out across the city. "The blame lies with me, not with you. Ten years ago I was unable to apprehend the criminal known as Jace, because of my failure Reno is suffering the consequences. You are not to blame."

Tseng hung his head. "I just can't stop thinking about the fact that I passed on a mission that should have been mine..."

"We all have regrets, we must simply move forward despite them and keep working. Go home, get some rest, Tseng."

"Y-yes sir." Tseng muttered and turned away, leaving Veld alone with his thoughts.

XXX

"Wakey wakey!"

Reno jerked awake, his eyes wide and full of animalistic terror, he gasped and immediately began to struggle against his bonds but realised belatedly that he was still tied down. Then he saw a man stood over him, grinning from ear to ear and holding an empty bucket. Reno was soaked through and shivering, his teeth chattering as he took stock of his situation and the aches and pains from the day before returned steadily. He coughed a little and felt his chest rattle, if the torture itself wasn't going to kill him the cold just might, he recalled his first attempt at suicide and winced at the disaster.

He had tried to get to the pills in his sleeve but his wounds were wearing him down, his usual speed was worthless as hands had grabbed him and wrapped steel chains around his wrists, all the while he fought and swore and spat like an animal.

"I know what you're thinking Reno." Jace said, looking as immaculate as ever, his suit a dark green and a white starched shirt beneath. He was sitting on a chair, its back between his legs as he watched Reno with false pity in his eyes. "You want to die, I can see it clearly. After all, your Turk training tells you you must kill yourself before giving away too much information, this is understandable, but it would be such a waste for me to let you go just yet. I have much more fun things planned."

"I'll kill ya, yo." Reno's voice was cracked, his throat sore and thirsting but he summoned up enough hatred to fuel the fires burning within his chest and give his look enough heat. Although he knew the threat was impotent.

"Oh come now, I think we're past that, don't you?" Jace grinned. "You're as helpless as a little lamb."

"Fuck you." Reno hissed.

"Oh I would love to." Jace stood up, setting aside his chair in one smooth motion as he moved to Reno and leaned over him, their faces inches apart. He smiled and kissed him, his tongue forcing its way into Reno's resisting mouth, Reno tensed and finally summoned enough self possession to bite that invading tongue, he tasted blood and Jace pulled away abruptly, smacking Reno around the face. "You obviously still need to be reminded of where you stand, ShinRa dog."

Reno licked his lips, smirking as he did so and lifting his chin haughtily. "Oh yeah, I'm a dog, yo... An' ya...know what? Dog's _bite_!"

Jace's face flashed angrily, he drew his hand back and slapped Reno around the face again, causing his head to snap sideways. Then a hand closed over his throat, shutting off air and causing Reno to struggle a little. He looked into Jace's eyes and saw his own death mirrored in them and smiled.

XXX

"Sir, Reno's been located beneath the sector six slums. He is currently being held in a sealed off, disused area of the sewerage system."

Tseng held his phone to his ear and gazed out over Sector Six, he was frowning as Veld stood by his side. "Excellent. Cissnei, I want you to wait for back up, do not go in alone, do you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, sir."

Tseng hung up and turned to his boss. "Did you hear that, sir?"

"I did. Send in Gun's team, if I know Jace, and I do, he is likely to have men stationed around the area to watch for intrusion. They will have to be fast and brutal. When they have reached Reno's location give Legend the code word."

"Sir." Tseng nodded and opened his phone again to issue the orders but he paused when Veld held up his hand.

"Tseng, I will warn you that there is a strong possibility that Reno may already be dead." Veld said, a flicker of something like grief in his gaze, Tseng looked down at his phone with a frown.

"Then we will retrieve his body and give him a decent burial." He said softly and flipped the phone open, giving the code word to Gun's team and refusing to think about the state Reno would be in if and when they got to him.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I admit, I do like this chapter. If you're wondering how I'm posting these so fast then its because I've already written it. Enjoy.**

Chapter Five: Rescue

Reno sat in the chair, his mind drifting back over his past, his eyes unfocussed and blood dripping from his torn lips. His body shuddered occasionally but he seemed unaware of it as he gazed blankly into space, his breath ragged and sharp in his pained chest. His shirt had been torn open, burns marked his pale flesh in horrible raised wounds, cuts zigzagged his skin like strange tribal markings and all the fingers of his right hand were broken and swelling rapidly. His heart seemed to beat too quickly, thought was incredibly difficult, speech was impossible. Jace paced and ranted nearby, Reno ignored him, it was the same thing over and over, he moaned that he had so far got nothing except screams from Reno, he bitched that his attempts to break him were failing but Reno knew just how close he was. Each time new pain came he felt his lips try to betray him, every time he saw that smirk he wanted to plead and beg and tell them to stop, every time he looked at the bloody knives he wanted to scream and scream and never stop. Pain seemed to be all he knew, it was impossible that anything had ever existed before, it was throbbing in his veins, it was seeping into his skin and his mind was holding on by the nails. He was close, so very, very close to snapping like a thin twig.

So much knowledge resided in his head that could possibly see the end of ShinRa as they knew it, the end of his job, the end of his friends, the only true family he had ever had since the death of his mother. He had secret codes to weapons beyond the imagination of mere civilians, he had knowledge of those secret experiments the Science Department was working on, he knew the deepest darkest secrets of SOLDIER. He knew about possible assassinations, the disappearances of many high profile political figures. The list was endless. He would be the catalyst to the destruction of his entire world, it was so tragic it was almost funny. He had thought he was stronger, obviously he had been woefully wrong. Soon he knew his colleagues, his friends, his family would come to put him out of his misery, but how much longer could he hold out? He didn't even know how long he had been missing.

"Well, let us begin again, shall we?" Jace said irritably as he moved before Reno once again, lifting up a sharp, shiny scalpel. "Now, where is the location of The Administrative Research Department?" He smiled and Reno stared at the blade in morbid fascination as it descended towards his face, too close to his left eye.

"No...nonononono...NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"I will cut out your eyes, Reno. Tell me how to gain access to your department. Give me the codes."

Reno stared in horror at the shiny blade and, before he could think, he was whispering. "F-floor s-sixty..." He breathed and Jace backed away a little, eyes lighting up in excitement. Reno swallowed again, his body aching, his mind moving sluggishly and all he could see was that knife, all he could imagine was what it would be like to have his eyeballs removed. He would be utterly useless, even if he survived. "...passcode..." Jace moved closer eagerly, his ear close to Reno's lips.

"Yes?"

"P-passcode..." Reno clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut tightly. "Please, don' make me..."

Jace sighed heavily and pulled back, motioning his man forward who lifted the EMR.

XXX

Rude heard the desperate screams, it made his whole body go cold. Somehow it was so much different when it was a friend screaming than if it were a stranger. He moved forward, hands balled into fists with the rest of his team behind him, guns out, stalking the long, seemingly endless tunnel warily. Again there was a scream, this one had words behind it;

"STOP! PLEASE! NO MORE!"

"He's about to break." Someone gasped behind him, the tension solidified and Rude broke into a run. "RUDE! RUDE COME BACK!"

He ignored Gun's shout and reached a corner, he turned to find a wonky wooden door guarded by two gangsters. Before they had time to react he lifted a hand and punched the one on the left in the face. The other fell with a bullet in their head. Rude kicked down the door which crumpled like paper, he stepped over the threshold and gazed around. A group of several people stood staring at him in shock, frozen to the spot by his sudden appearance. He spotted a chair stood in the centre of the room, Reno was tied to it, his bright hair obvious in the gloom. The man stood before Reno was staring with an open mouth at Rude, he was dressed in a cheap suit and vividly coloured shirt. Everything seemed to be frozen in time, Rude felt the presence of the others at his back but didn't have time to acknowledge them as one of the gangsters fired his gun at random. That seemed to be the signal to start time again. Rude rushed forward, throwing his fist into the first man's face, making him scream and collapse. He reached out, grabbing two men and smashing their heads together, leaving them to fall against each other. More gun shots echoed through the long, stone room, causing more confusion in the chaos of the fight. He saw Tseng rush past him, ducking behind a crate and firing at the enemy with a frown on his face, he leapt to his feet again and with quick, sure movements edged towards the chair where Reno was bound.

Tseng hit Jace with the butt of his gun, sending the man flying to the floor. Quickly he dropped to one knee and checked Reno's pulse, once he was satisfied he was alive he turned and beckoned Rude over. He came and Tseng handed him a lock pick for the chains binding Reno's skinny wrists, Rude took over trying to free his partner. Tseng went over to apprehend their prisoner as the fight died down, the reports of the gun fire faded to leave a ringing silence in their wake. Rude looked up at Reno who's eyes were open but unfocussed, he seemed dazed and barely aware of what was happening around him. He had blood smeared across his cheek from a fresh wound beneath his left eye, it looked as if Jace had been about to cut it out.

"Rude, yo..." He croaked, grinning drunkenly and breathing heavily, his head fell forward again as if he couldn't hold it up. "Make it quick, man..." He whispered and Rude glanced towards Tseng who was on the floor, one knee pressed into Jace's back as he tied him securely.

"Reno..."

"Do i' yo...Rather you do it than...than some rookie..." Reno blinked, blood falling into his eyes.

Rude's hands stilled with the lock pick as he felt everyone's eyes on him, he stared at his partners battered face before slowly licking his suddenly dry lips. "You're going to be fine." He grunted and continued to unlock the chains, they slithered to the floor and Reno slumped.

"Yer a fuckin'...idiot, yo..." He whispered and smiled a little as Rude helped him to his feet.

"So I have been told." Rude gave Reno a very rare smile as he guided him over to the door, they paused and Reno looked back, his arm slung heavily around Rude's shoulder's. Rude felt his jacket move and it took him too long to process what was happening, before he could stop him Reno demonstrated his famous speed and dexterity by grabbing one of his guns in his working left hand and spinning around.

Tseng looked up, his eyes widened as Reno turned and pointed the gun in his direction then he realised what he was aiming at.

"RENO NO!"

Every voice chorused, sending the echoes down through the room but not quite drowning out the sudden, sharp report of the gun. Blood spattered Tseng's face as he flinched instinctively, the body beneath his hands jerked then was still. He took a sharp breath and opened his eyes to find Reno staring down at the corpse of Jace, he smirked and the weapon fell from lax fingers. "'m done, yo." he muttered, the gun hit the floor and he swayed violently and was caught by Rude before he followed the weapon. Tseng had time to release Jace's corpse before his PHS beeped, he pulled it out of his pocket and his eyes widened at the message there;

 _Boom!_

Tseng turned to his men, "EVERYONE GET DOWN!" He screamed just as more of Jace's gang members came running into the room, obviously having come to investigate the commotion and now blocked all exits. He watched Rude drop Reno and cover him with his own body, the others fell to the floor and covered their heads. The gangsters had time to look utterly bewildered by this sudden action. Above them, at the street level, there was a low rumble, it was all the warning they got before the world turned up side down. The ceiling burst open like an over ripe plum, smoke and debris filled the air until it choked them all, the sky exploded in various bright colours and then there was a ringing silence. After a long few minutes Tseng heard his colleagues stirring, he sat up, blinking in the sudden flood of bright white light and turned his eyes towards the gaping hole that had been opened up in the ceiling. His ears were still ringing and, as he climbed unsteadily to his feet, he lost his balance and stumbled into a wall. He shook his head and squinted up to find a dark silhouette standing at the edge of the hole, smoke drifting into the sky from a cigarette clamped between his teeth and several blue clad infantry men scrambling to throw ropes and ladders down for them to climb out. "Legend." He whispered, barely able to hear his own voice over the ringing in his ears.

"Bastard!" Gun called up to the man at the edge of the pit, they heard laughter and he crouched, bringing his face into view. Tseng's hearing was slowly returning, the damage hadn't been too bad.

"You coming out or staying?"

"I'm coming out only to kick your ass you reckless fuck!" Shotgun shouted, kicking the remains of a large wooden box out of her way and cocking her shotgun. Blond hair flying she ran past Tseng and leapt up to grab one of the rope ladders, hauling herself from one rung to the next before scrambling back up onto the ground. Tseng couldn't help but smile when he heard her shouting and then a loud whack and a groan from Legend.

"Need help?" Rude paused by Tseng, looking at him and holding out his free hand. He had tucked Reno securely under his other arm where he hung, still unconscious, like a rag doll.

"No, thank you. Take Reno back home and get him to the medical facility."

Rude nodded and carried his partner away, Tseng made a vague attempt at brushing dust off of himself but finally gave up, he must have looked like a grey ghost anyway, his suit would have to be consigned to the bin as it was likely ruined.

XXX

Veld walked down the corridor to the Turks' private infirmary, he could hear, even at this distance, the loud voice of Reno. He smiled a little helplessly, if he was making that much noise he was certain he would recover fine.

"Get offa me, I don' wanna be stuck in this white prison, yo! Rude, listen ta me, I can't stay 'ere! Please-ow! _Rude_!"

"Sir, calm down, please. You have to stay here until your ribs are healed, you can't just go running off-"

"I don' care, yo! I wanna go home, I go' shit to do!"

"Reno, please do as the doctor says, you're in no fit state to start work again."

"Traitor!"

Veld pushed open the door to find Reno sitting on the edge of his hospital bed and looking for all the world like an angry mummy. He had bandages covering his right arm, his exposed chest, his head and one of his ankles. A cast had been wrapped around his right wrist and he had a scowl on his face that would have intimidated any civilian into wetting their pants. Veld smiled.

"Chief!" Reno turned to him, his hands rising and clasping-with difficulty, if his wince was anything to go by-in a pleading gesture. "Tell 'em, yo! Tell 'em I'm fit to go back ta work! I'm goin' bat shit crazy in here!"

"I would be a fool to go against the doctors orders, Reno. You should take this time to relax, heal and get yourself back in top condition."

Reno swore violently and hung his head. "Tha's shitty, yo." He grumbled and lay back on the bed, refusing to look at anyone as he sulked.

"You appear to be healing up nicely, I'm sure you'll be back on form soon. Doctor, can I have a word?"

Reno tried to fold his arms across his chest but groaned when agony stabbed at him from his broken ribs. "Oh fuck this, yo..." He muttered, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth. "Jus' gimme the damned morphine and let me die in peace."

"They're not going to give you morphine for broken ribs, Reno."

Reno opened one eye and glared at his partner. "I hate you, yo."

"..."

XXX

Reno was in the infirmary for a month before he was finally declared fit enough to leave, he had been healed by materia as well as normal means and still the process had been agonisingly slow, finally though he found himself putting his suit back on and leaving. He tucked his PHS in his pocket and winked at a nearby nurse who blushed furiously and ducked her head, smiling to herself. He walked slowly back to Turk HQ, his side still ached a little but he had been told that was normal and would soon pass, the bruising over his body had faded to almost nothing and his broken hand had been re-set and plastered before being treated to regular doses of Cure until it had been fully healed. There had been minor internal damage but that too had been cured easily enough, the only thing they had been unable to fix was the network of scars criss crossing his chest, broken only by the occasional welt from the burns he had been subjected to. Those would remain as a constant reminder of his cock up. He frowned angrily, flexing the fingers of his right hand as he stepped into the elevator and pressed the button that would take him to level sixty, the floor designed specifically for the Turks.

He reached the floor and nodded to the guards there, it was disguised as little more than a spare floor with only a single door that resembled a store room. He took out his ID and pressed it to the scanner device set into the wall, there was a beep and the light went green.

The second he entered the offices he felt a calm fill him, he gazed around the familiar room containing the front for the Turks' operations. Several desks stood in neat rows, he saw Cissnei sat behind hers, nursing a cup of coffee while typing up a report on her computer. Gun was leaning back in her seat, dictating something into a small recording device. Shotgun was standing by the coffee machine, chatting energetically to Rod. Reno's eyes searched the room and finally found Rude who was sitting at his own desk with Tseng leaning over him, one hand on his shoulder as they frowned at the computer screen. There was a low hum of content chatter in the room and Reno felt a smile tug at his lips, the first one he had worn in a while. It took them all a moment to spot him but when they did he was greeted by warm welcomes all around, Cissnei even deigned to give him a quick hug. Finally, he was home again.

When he had disengaged from the others he strode over to Rude with his hands in his pockets before nodding to him, Rude looked him over and nodded back. "Welcome back, Reno." Tseng said and took his hand.

"I'm back, yo." Reno grinned widely.

"Veld said that he wanted to see you as soon as you arrived, he's in his office."

"Sure, see ya later, yo." He lifted a hand and waved lazily before walking towards a door located at the end of the long room, he knocked once and waited.

"Enter."

Reno pushed open the door and stepped into Veld's office, he gazed around before returning his eyes to his boss. "Yo, Chief." He said by way of a greeting, Veld looked up and smiled at him.

"Welcome back, Reno. It's good to see you up and about again."

Reno rubbed the back of his head. "It's good ta be back, yo."

Veld smiled at this before indicating the seat in front of his desk, Reno sat down and crossed his legs, tapping his foot lightly as he waited for Veld to speak. "I asked you here to tell you that the President has asked me to pass on his message." Veld said slowly, his smile sliding off of his face and becoming serious once again, he leaned forward, chin resting on his hands as he eyed his subordinate sternly. "Your actions the day we rescued you were beyond reckless." Reno remained silent, he had expected a lecture and he had no intention of attempting to explain his actions. "I would have expected better from someone of your calibre and experience, I'm disappointed. You know our tag line, you know that we get the job done no matter what it takes, so why on earth did you murder a man we were ordered to bring in _alive_?"

"You know why." Reno said hoarsely, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. "Jace was an evil son of a bitch, yo. He had ta die."

"We weren't able to get any information out of him, he could have proved extremely useful. Reno, you acted like a child, I expected better of you. I had hoped that you were above revenge."

Reno snorted and shook his head. "It's like you don' know me at all, Chief. I aint a kid, yo, I know where this is goin'. You reckon the Pres is gunna have me assassinated. Good luck with tha' one, maybe I aint ready to die, yo." A sharp, dangerous look entered Reno's blue eyes and Veld sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead in obvious exasperation.

"The president is not going to have you killed, you've escaped that fate thanks to your actions in Junon when Avalanche tried to kill him, but this is your last chance, Reno. Any more mistakes and that is the end of the road for you, do you understand?"

"Loud 'n clear, Chief." Reno's smirk returned and he ran a hand through his hair. "What's next, yo?"

"Very well then, I have assigned you and Rude a mission to eradicate the remains of Jace's gang, this should be easy work for you two. I have had my spies report on their current locations and have them all in the file here," He patted the pile of papers before him. "I expect you to work like the professional you are and do your damned job properly."

"Got ya, yo." Reno leaned forward, unfolding his long legs and dragging the files towards him, he leaned back again and began reading through them.

"I have put you down for three months of counselling." Veld added, as if Reno had asked him a question.

"You wha'?! Chief, tha's no fair, man! I'm fine, yo!" Reno sat forward again, desperation written across his face.

"You are far from fine, Reno." Veld said, lowering his voice to a confidential tone and looking on his subordinate with deep seated pity. "What you went through has to have had a severe affect on your mental health, you may not know it yet but you could end up with some serious psychological disorder, I have put your name down for counselling with the company doctor who will have temporary access to all your records."

"Bu' I don' need it, yo."

"I think you do." Veld replied softly, eyes fixing on the hands that held the mission brief, Reno ground his teeth together and forced them to stop shaking.

"I can handle it on my own, don' need no quack tellin' me about wha' i'm feelin'...I dealt with worse, yo."

"If that's true then the doctor will sign you off and all will be well, if not then you can get the help you need. This isn't a choice, Reno, it's an order."

Reno flinched and groaned before standing up. "We done, yo?" He mumbled sulkily.

"Yes, we are. You are dismissed."


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: A bit of smex in this chapter (het smex). Enjoy and any review would be really very welcome. Thank you.**

Chapter Six: Recovery

Reno opened the door to his apartment and peered through the small gap, he could see the hulking outline of Rude and tried to slam it shut again but Rude's hand got in the way and he forced it open. Reno leapt backwards, diving out of the way as Rude swung for him, rolling over into a crouch. "You aint takin' me alive, yo!" He hissed and dodged aside as Rude moved to grab him, he grabbed Rude's wrist and yanked him forward, lifting his knee and making sharp contact with Rude's stomach. He released him and backed away, smiling a little as Rude recovered. "I aint goin'."

"Chief...says...you have to." Rude wheezed, clutching his stomach.

"Don' care what Chief says, I aint goin' yo."

Rude moved again, his fingers managing to get hold of the back of Reno's jacket, he pulled him backwards, towards the door and held firm despite his partners kicking and fighting. "Chief says you have to go, so you're going."

"No! No! Rude, man, don' make me, yo!"

Rude said nothing as he finally got Reno out into the hall, he turned and wrapped an arm around Reno's waist, hoisting him bodily into the air and flinging him over his shoulder. Reno squirmed and writhed helplessly as he was taken down the corridor towards the Occupational Health offices dedicated solely to the Turks.

"Pu' me down, yo! Rude, I'm tellin' ya, the second you let go o' me I'm gunna kick your sorry ass!"

"If you say so."

Finally they reached the OH offices, Rude entered and found the secretary, she looked up and smiled expectantly, her eyes glancing at Reno who was now limp over Rude's shoulder. "Can I help you?" She asked.

"Got an appointment with Doctor Green?"

"Ah yes, two o'clock? Reno? I will just tell her you're here."

Rude nodded and stood still, he could feel Reno's heavy breathing against his back and fought the urge to smirk. "I hate you, yo." Reno grumbled as the Secretary returned.

"She'll see you now."

Rude nodded and moved to the door with the name; Doctor Green, written on it and knocked politely. He waited a moment before the woman told him to enter, he opened the door and moved to the long sofa in the middle of the room, dumping Reno unceremoniously onto it. "Your two o'clock, Doctor."

The doctor looked up from her desk and blinked at Rude, her eyes moved to the now occupied sofa. "I see, thank you."

Rude nodded and left, Reno cursed him furiously as he adjusted his suit and sat up, he peered at the doctor over the arm of the sofa and smiled to himself. She was tall with lovely long legs, dark hair that was tied back in a severe bun, small glasses perched on the end of her pretty freckled nose and large, dark eyes. She wore a pencil skirt and plain white blouse with enough buttons undone to reveal a pair of nicely sized breasts. "Hello, I'm doctor Green, it's nice to meet you Reno."

"An' you." Reno said and rose smoothly, holding out his hand with a smile. "If i'd known the quacks were this hot I'd've been here a lot sooner, yo."

She cleared her throat and released his hand before turning way and adjusting her glasses, but not before Reno spotted the dull flush of pleasure on her cheeks. "Please, take a seat and we will get on with the evaluation."

Reno sat down, spreading his arms across the back of the chair and crossing his legs, he watched her every move intently and felt a deep satisfaction that he was obviously making her aware of his gaze, despite her obvious flustered state she managed to begin the interview.

XXX

Rude stood by the door, hands folded before him as he waited for his partner, he lifted a hand and checked his watch only to find that it had been well over an hour since Reno had entered the room. He turned to the door and pressed his ear against it, listening intently.

"Oh...oh my R-Reno...yes!"

Rude pulled back abruptly, he moved away from the door and took up a position near a large poster describing the affects of Mako poisoning. He waited patiently for Reno to finish his activities.

The door opened some time later to reveal Reno looking rather dishevelled, his hair was a mess, his shirt open to reveal his scarred chest and his belt still undone. He had lipstick staining his mouth and collar, two large hickies stood out against his pale throat, and he was grinning from ear to ear as he leaned casually against the door frame, Rude arched an eyebrow at him. "Feelin' much better, yo." He said as they heard noises from within as the doctor cleaned herself up. "I could get used to this counsellin' stuff." He adjusted his jacket and did up his belt, "I'll see ya aroun' doc." He called and Rude heard her mutter a reply, she sounded rather breathless.

XXX

Alfred sighed as he stood outside his door, he rummaged in his pocket and withdrew the keys to his house before unlocking it and stepping inside. He felt instantly calmer, he had had the feeling that he was being followed and it set him on edge. He turned on the light and hung his coat up on a hook and dumped his keys into a bowl on a table by the door, he turned and went to his kitchen, opening the fridge and removing a beer before walking to his living room. He paused and turned on the light, his heart leapt into his throat as he spotted a man sitting at his dining room table as casually as if he belonged there, long red hair was tied back into a rat tail trailing down his back and the smile on his lips was as cold as ice.

"Welcome home, Dad." Reno said, his smirk widening to reveal the tips of his teeth.

"R-Reth?"

"Not anymore, yo." Reno stood slowly, the shadows seemed to cling to him, giving his face the gaunt look of a ghoul.

"What are you doing here, how did you get in?"

"The locks on this place are shitty, yo. I can pick 'em as easily as I could when I was a kid." he stepped closer, causing Alfred to move back on instinct.

"Y-You...you can't be here, boy."

"I can an' I am, yo."

"Why? Why are you here? How did you find me?"

"I have ways, old man. You were pretty fuckin' easy ta track, yo. Would'a expected more from scum like you bu' once again you're a fuckin' disappointment." Reno stopped when he was a foot away, the light glanced off of the metal rod in his left hand and Reno's grin grew even bigger. "I go' new orders." He said softly, barely moving but Alfred watched his muscles tensing, ready to spring. "I gotta wipe ou' Jace's gang, good orders. Bu' you shoulda seen my face when I read your name on the list o' targets, yo. It was like all my birthdays came at once."

"Reth-Reno...I don't understand what you're saying..." Alfred stepped back from his menacing son, terror wrapping icy fingers around his heart.

"You were a part o' Jace's gang, don' deny it, I know. You sold me to 'im in exchange fer your shitty little life, you le' 'im use an' abuse me, now I get my revenge, yo."

"B-But...but I-I'm...I'm your father!"

"Eh, whaddya gunna do, yo? Orders are orders." Reno shrugged and swung his EMR without warning, Alfred screamed.

XXX

Rude stood outside the house, hands clasped before him and eyes scanning the road for any sign of a threat, he heard the screaming but didn't bother looking, he knew Reno needed to do this alone. When his partner came out onto the front steps, he turned and lifted an eyebrow, Reno sat down and sighed.

"It's done, yo. Mission complete." He whispered, lifting his arm and wiping blood from his cheek in an absent way. He leaned back on his hands and looked up at the plate above them, lights twinkling like stars.

"Veld's just phoned, he's got a new mission for us." Rude said quietly.

"Oh yeah?"

"We're to search for new candidates for SOLDIER."

"I see." Reno brought his gaze back to the ground and stood up, brushing himself down and jumping lightly down the steps. He lifted his bloody EMR and began tapping it against his shoulder as he turned a little to look back up at Rude, a grin spreading wide across his face. "Let's go then, partner."

XXX

"I'm fine, yo."

He felt as if he was repeating himself, like a broken record. It was irritating in the extreme and what was worse was that everyone was treating him like an invalid, he was doing missions, he was being good, he was doing his job but still he could feel Rude's eyes on him as if he was going to shatter into a thousand pieces. It was stupid, he felt no remorse about taking his father out, the man hadn't been his real father since he had allowed Reno to be taken by Jace and his cronies. He felt nothing for the man, it was done, it was over and he was moving on.

Of course, there were the nightmares. They crept up on him the second his head hit the pillow and he closed his eyes, it was like a movie on pause, just waiting for Reno to take a nap before running again. He saw Jace's face, he heard his soft voice, he felt his hands all over his body like a disease. It was horrible but he was fine, he could cope with it. He was a Turk after all.

"Rude, will ya stop lookin' at me like that, yo!" Reno snapped irritably as he sat in the canteen early one morning after just having arrived back home from a mission. "I'm not about ta break down 'n start cryin'!"

"I'm worried." Rude replied smoothly, picking up his steaming cup of tea and taking a sip. "You haven't been yourself lately, you're quiet."

"I'm fine, yo. Trus' me."

"I don't want a partner who is going to put missions at risk because his mind is confused."

"I'm not confused, yo!" Reno snapped, leaning back in his chair and allowing his eyes to rove the room, he saw several staff members sitting around and talking happily. Rude said nothing as he stood up.

"I'm getting some breakfast, do you want anything?"

"Nah, man. I'm good."

Rude turned and walked away to get himself some food, Reno sighed shakily and bent over, pressing his forehead into the table and squeezing his eyes shut tightly. He pushed both hands into his hair and stayed in that position, unable to raise his head. He was lying to himself, he wasn't ok. He hadn't been ok since Jace had first reappeared on the scene, it was torture to fight off memories of the beatings, the feel of strangers hands over his body and the agony of his recent torture. He swallowed hard and tried to get himself under control, he knew he was slowly losing it, he kept seeing his father's face everywhere he went, despite the fact that he had killed him. He saw Jace's cold eyes whenever he turned a corner, he felt those ghosts haunting him, trying to drive him nuts.

Rude returned and looked down at his partner, Reno had both hands clutching at his hair, his body shuddering as he muttered to himself. Rude put down his food and sat down, he started to eat as he waited for Reno to come out of himself.

Slowly Reno raised his head, his face stricken as he turned wide eyes to Rude. "I killed 'im, yo...Bu' he's not gone..." He breathed.

"You can't kill ghosts." Rude replied quietly.

Reno shook his head violently before leaning back again, running both hands over his pale face. "I'm tired, yo." He whispered. "So god damned tired."

"Go take a nap, I'll tell Veld where you are. We've been overworked as it is, no one will blame you."

Reno shook his head again. "I don' need ta be babied, I go' this, yo."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'll ge' over it." Reno replied, staring down at his own coffee.

XXX

"You can't do this! I haven't done anything!"

Reno stood before a man who had been accused of selling ShinRa equipment to outside sources, he yawned widely and stepped forward. "Quit yer bloody whinin' yo, jus' come with us."

"No! I'm innocent!"

"So they all say, yo." Reno sighed heavily and levelled his EMR at the small guy, "We gunna fight or what?"

The man, looking utterly terrified, ran at Reno who dodged aside smoothly. He brought his EMR around in a brutal swing and felt it connect with guys head, there was a sickening crack as the man fell to his knees with a scream. Reno fought back another yawn, as a Turk he didn't get a lot of sleep and normally he was used to snatching it wherever he could but lately he could feel exhaustion dragging at his limbs. He felt like he was coming down with a cold or something but without the sneezing and high temperature. He was just exhausted. His mind wondered as his eyes unfocussed, it was in that moment that the small guy pulled a gun, he spun around and pulled the trigger. Reno gasped and stumbled backwards as pain lanced through his shoulder, the man got up and fled, stumbling awkwardly as he went from his head wound. Reno dropped his weapon and fell into a wall, he used his free hand to grab his wounded shoulder and cursed through his teeth. After a second he stood up and picked up his EMR before stumbling after the target.

Tseng found Reno sitting on the filthy floor, one hand gripping his shoulder, head down and his knees drawn up to his chest. As he drew closer he noticed the crimson staining his shirt. "Reno?!" He gasped and fell to his knees before his friend. "What happened? What went wrong?"

Reno shook his head, glaring at the floor. "I fucked up, yo." He whispered harshly. "Guy's been apprehended but he go' me."

Tseng looked over to where Reno indicated, the target was lying on the floor, unconscious and tied securely. "The mission was a success." He said and returned his gaze to Reno.

"Stupid, yo. 'm so stupid." He buried his face in his knees and refused to look up, even when Tseng tried to inspect his wound.

Later, when the wound had been dressed, Reno found himself at the bar in Wall Market. He sat at a table, alone and silent as Elena, the bar maid handed him a strong drink. He looked up at her, mildly surprised. "I din't order that, yo."

Elena smiled. "It's on the house." She said and winked. "You look like you need it."

"Thanks, kid."

"I'm not a kid, Mr. Reno."

Reno smiled and raised the glass, ice tinkling merrily against the side. "I guess not, yo."

She nodded and moved back to the bar to clean glasses and take more orders. Reno watched her for a moment before sighing heavily and returning to his silent contemplation of how much his life was sucking. He considered taking a visit to the Honeybee Inn at some point but not before he was good and drunk, it was the only way to stop the memories from eating away at him. When he was in a drunken stupor it was easier to pretend that he wasn't slowly being driven mad by the echoes of his own screams. His hand was shaking again, so violently the ice tinkled against the sides of the glass he was holding. He grimaced and tightened his grip on it, halting the shakes. He was cracking up, it wouldn't be long before someone noticed his decline and he was brought up in front of Veld, and then it would be a slippery slope of being looked over for important missions, eventually being relegated to some out of the way place and, eventually, taken out like the dog he was. He couldn't afford to be useless, the Turks were everything to him, without that he was nothing. Veld had given him a life and he had grasped it in his desperate, greedy little fingers and even now refused to let it go. The problem was that what Veld gave he could easily take away, leaving Reno unable to do anything but die. He wasn't ready for that, not yet, but he couldn't stop torturing himself with what had happened to him at Jace's hands. He had been so weak, so pathetic that he had almost put the entire company at risk, despite his training. Outside of his job he was utterly alone, no family, no friends, and that was a far more terrifying prospect than death.

Reno downed his drink and waved at Elena to get another, he turned the glass in his hands slowly and watched the electric lights reflected in the melted ice cubes. Elena came over and handed him another fresh drink, putting his used glass on a tray and moving away again. He drank and drank until his mind was pleasantly fuzzy, finally he stood up and stumbled out the door, ignoring Elena's concerned calls. He felt his phone begin to buzz in his pocket but ignored it as he made his way to the Honeybee Inn, he needed a good fuck, it would help dispel his melancholy at least for an hour or so.

XXX

Tseng stared at his PHS as it did nothing but ring in his hand, finally he sighed and shut it off. "He's still not picking up, sir." He turned to Veld who was sitting behind his desk looking concerned.

"Where was his last known location?"

"The Bar in Wall Market." Tseng replied. "But Gun says that her sister doesn't know where he went from there, sir. I'm...worried."

"We all are, no matter what Reno claims he is obviously still suffering." Veld sighed and shook his head.

"Sir...?"

"Yes?"

"Just what did Reno do after his mother was killed?" Tseng asked, knowing that he was being reckless to ask for such private information but curiosity was getting the better of him. "I only know vague details."

"According to him he was taken in by Jace, brainwashed and used to steal, kill and sell his body. Jace was his boss and pimp in one." Veld looked up at Tseng and narrowed his eyes. "The first time we met he thought I wanted to...use him...in that way. It was tragic, he was so young and so willing to let anyone abuse him, I had to give him a chance to get out of that situation."

"You hired and trained him, didn't you?"

"I did. He took to everything with an impressive zeal, he was probably the fastest man I'd trained. He worked hard to get where he is today."

"So, because of the recent developments with Jace and his gang he is...cracking?" Tseng asked, mostly speaking to himself as he gazed down at his phone with a frown.

"Most likely. I suspect that he has many suppressed memories, his father was a violent man, addicted to gambling and took his frustrations out on his son on numerous occasions, Reno was abused from the word go and then assumed that this was the way people were supposed to treat each other. I managed to get him out of this train of thought and had hoped that would be the end of it but if his suppressed memories are resurfacing he may be sinking back into the state of mind he had before he joined us. We need to find him before he does something reckless." Veld stood up and looked at Tseng. "I will-"

"I know where he is, sir."

Both men turned to the door of the office and saw Rude standing there, hands clasped at his front as he looked directly at Veld. "Where?" Tseng asked.

"The Honeybee Inn, it's where he goes when he's off duty."

Veld's lips twitched. "I should have guessed."

XXX

The woman moaned into his mouth, his hands roved up her body, feeling her soft skin and dragging his nails lightly down her stomach as he pulled away, breathing heavily. She was one of the girls he usually requested as she was good at conversation as well as in the bedroom, she smiled up at him and lifted her hands to undo her bra, Reno watched and smirked.

"So, you gunna tell me why you're here?" The woman asked as she slipped the bra off and threw it across the small room.

Reno's eyes were fixed on her breasts and he dipped his head, taking one of her nipples between his lips. "Mm...Makin' too many mistakes." He muttered, running his tongue along the curve of her breast while his hand snaked between her open legs. "Bein' stupid, fuckin' shit up...same ol' same ol'."

"I thought you were the best?"

"I was, yo." Reno looked up at her, placing a kiss on her eager mouth before pulling away again. "But...the past came back to haunt me an' now I-I..." He faltered and buried his head in her long, fragrant hair. "I feel like my worlds crashin' down on me an' I...I can't stop it, yo." He whispered and felt her arms wrap tightly around him, her soft lips began trailing sweet kisses over his bare shoulder.

"We all have times like that, it's a part of being alive. Perhaps you should talk to someone who understands? What about your partner?"

"Rude?" Reno lifted his head and looked down at her, she smiled and rolled him over, straddling his hips with her own and pressing her palms to his bare chest. She began a slow and steady rocking motion and watched Reno gasp, his hands moving to grab her and pull her down to him but she stopped him, pinning them above his head. "He... _fuck_...he aint gunna...wanna know 'bout my shit. We don' really have tha' kinda... _nng_...relationship, yo."

"Is there anyone else you can talk to?" The woman asked, moving her free hand downwards to the waist band of Reno's boxers, her fingers slid inside slowly. "Surely there's someone you're willing to open up to."

Reno bit down on his bottom lip as her hand closed around his aching erection, he sighed and closed his eyes, feeling her kissing his throat as she stroked him. "Yeah...there is..."

XXX

Rude, Tseng and Veld were greeted at the Inn by a woman in a bee costume. Tseng, having never actually set foot in the place, was confused, Rude meanwhile asked the pretty girl where Reno was, they were directed to a private room on one of the upper floors. The door was ajar and they could hear soft talking from within, Tseng looked to Veld who nodded and they pushed the door open.

Reno was laying in the bed, the sheets wrapped around his middle and one arm flung over the girl at his side. Reno had his face hidden in her hair and the girl was stroking his scarred back in a comforting gesture when her eyes moved to the intruders. She tensed and that alerted Reno who pulled away and sat up, he spotted his friends. "What the fuck, yo?!" He cried, pulling the covers up enough to cover himself. The girl rolled out of the bed and began hurriedly getting dressed looking rather embarrassed.

"Reno, we were worried about you." Tseng said, moving forward cautiously.

"I'm fine. You can' jus' walk in here with no warnin', yo!"

Rude shifted. "We had to ensure you were safe."

"Of course I'm safe! What is this a fuckin' intervention?! I'm a big boy and know how ta look after myself, even then who would dare fuck with a Turk?! Everyone knows our uniforms, yo."

"Reno, you obviously need to take some time out so for now I'm putting you on leave-"

Reno almost leapt out of the bed, he got tangled up in the sheets however and fell in a crumpled heap. "No!" He insisted, pulling the sheets from off of his head and glaring up at Veld who was stood before him like a father chastising his wayward son. "You can' do that, yo! Veld, man, listen, I'm good! I'm fine! I-I'll prove it!"

"This is for your own good, we cannot have a man who is obviously struggling making mistakes on missions. So, extended leave is in order, with pay, of course."

Reno put his head in his hands a gesture that made him resemble an unruly child more than ever. "Fuck, Veld, ya know how ta kick a man when he's down, yo." he mumbled and slumped against the bed.

"You are acting like a child, Reno. I thought we were past this."

"Chief, please...I can' lose this job, not now, I gotta have somethin' to distract me from..." He fell silent, eyes wide and pleading.

Veld knelt down and ruffled Reno's hair, causing him to frown up at him in confusion. "You need rest, Reno, I'm not punishing you. You have nightmares, I know you do, and because of that you're not sleeping and it's affecting your work. For now, just relax, you'll be back in no time." Tseng and Rude looked at each other before moving out the door and stepping out into the hall.

Reno buried his head in his knees again, he knew he was acting like a child but he couldn't help it, he certainly felt like one. "I...I'm sorry, yo."

"What on earth for?"

Slowly Reno lifted his head, he stared at Veld for a long time in silence before voicing the source of his guilt. "I told 'em...I told 'em where HQ was." He breathed and watched Veld's face, at first he seemed frozen in surprise before he took a breath and nodded. "They were gunna cut out my eye, yo!" He insisted, pleading with Veld to understand.

"I understand. Now, more than ever, we need to ensure that the gang has really been destroyed, they cannot be allowed to make a move against us."

Reno made a face and finally nodded as Veld stood up and straightened out his suit. "Help me up, yo, 'm stuck." Reno said softly, holding out his hand so Veld walked over and hauled him to his feet, he swayed a little as the alcohol he had ingested earlier threatened to make a reappearance. "Ugh...feel sick."

"Come on, let's go home." Veld sighed and helped his subordinate gather his scattered clothes.


End file.
